Force Captures Taliban Leader in Helmand Province

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2011 - An Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force captured a Taliban leader during an operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province today, military officials reported.

The leader is believed to have conducted roadside bomb attacks in the province.

The force also detained an additional suspected insurgent.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force in Paktia province's Gardez district detained multiple suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader who coordinates attacks against Afghan forces in the district.

-- A coalition security force in Kandahar province's Zharay district discovered four improvised explosive devices at different locations. Each IED had about 11 pounds of homemade explosives. The force destroyed three of the four IEDs on site and confiscated the fourth IED for destruction at a later date for safety reasons. The force also found and destroyed about 1,300 pounds of hashish.

-- A combined security force in Kandahar province's Maiwand district discovered and destroyed about 200 pounds of hashish.

-- A combined security force in Uruzgan province's Tarin Kot district confiscated about 2,700 heavy machine gun rounds. The ammunition will be destroyed at a later date.

-- A coalition security force in Herat province's Shindand district confiscated four 105 mm artillery rounds and four antitank rockets. The weapons will be destroyed at a later date.